The aim of this work is to study the nutritional facts of commercial lamb, compared to that determined by laboratory analyses, by using 18 Ile de France x Polwarth lamb (uncastrated lambs, adult discarded ewes and adult discarded wethers). Lambs were weaned at 17 kg and slaughtered at 32 kg. Ewes and wethers were slaughtered at 55 kg. The nutritional facts of the labels of packed lamb were obtained by means of direct contact with 19 companies that commercialize lamb. Most of the companies which were evaluated do not use the nutritional facts on the label of the packed lamb and do not mention the category of carcass cuts available for sale. In general, the values of the nutritional facts of the lamb which was analyzed in a laboratory showed differences between lamb categories and their respective carcass cuts for value of calories, carbohydrate contents, proteins, total fat, cholesterol, calcium and iron. The companies studied are generally unaware or ignore these differences between categories and cuts of lamb carcass concerning nutritional facts, thus making the improvement of commercial labels of carcass cuts of lamb necessary in order to inform the consumer, in simple terms, of the product to be acquired for consumption.
centesimal composition; consumer; health; sheep category
